An Afghan police man stands guard as U.S. armored military vehicle drives by near the site where suicide attackers fired in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. Nangarhar province Gov. Gul Agha Sherzai survived an assassination attempt after a gunman fired automatic weapons at his convoy from a hotel window as his convoy drove down a road in Jalalabad, according to his spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai. Sherzai's bodyguards killed the gunman, as well as another attacker wearing a suicide vest and carrying grenades.
In front of more than 3,000 sailors and marines, the President has mourned the loss of 14 Americans in two separate helicopter accidents in Afghanistan - the deadliest single day for US forces there in more than four years.
"They were willing to risk their lives, in this case to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for Al Qaeda and its extremist allies," Mr Obama said.
"And today they gave their lives - that last, full measure of devotion to protect ours."
But he has also told his military audience that he will not be rushed as he evaluates whether to alter the US strategy in Afghanistan and whether to send more troops.
"I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way - I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary," he said.
"And if it is necessary, we will back you up to the hip, because you deserve the strategy, the clear mission and the defined goals - as well as the equipment and support that you need to get the job done."
It is understood the US commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has asked the President for 40,000 more troops.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says there is no change to the expectation that the eagerly awaited decision will be announced "in the coming weeks".
War plan too ambitious
But as Mr Obama weighs his options, a top Senate Democrat says General McChrystal's war plan is too ambitious.
The chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, John Kerry, has just returned from several days of talks in Afghanistan.
"I believe his current plan reaches too far, too fast - we do not yet have the critical guarantees of governance and of development capacity, the other two legs of counter-insurgency," he said.
"And I have serious concerns about the ability to produce effective Afghan forces to partner with, at the rate that we need to, so that we can ensure that when our troops make heroic sacrifices, the benefits to the Afghans are actually clear and sustainable."
In a speech to the council on foreign relations, Senator Kerry said the US had to ask what was possible in Afghanistan, and not set what he called "some sort of hole-digging strategy".
He says achieving America's goals does not require the US to create a modern economy in Afghanistan, it does not require the US to defeat the Taliban in every corner of the country and it does not require the US to create a flawless democracy in Afghanistan.
And with Afghanistan's presidential run-off election due to be held next week, Senator Kerry has addressed concerns about the leadership of President Hamid Karzai, describing him as a "patriot".
"I am convinced President Karzai understands the need to make some changes - there are some terrific ministers, incidentally, in his government," Senator Kerry said.
"We work with them very closely and we have significant confidence in a number of those ministers.
"There are also some where there are some greater problems in certain ministries in terms of delivery of services, and he is well aware of it.
"As in any election anywhere, no one running for election for president of the country is going to announce who he is moving out until the election is over."
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
DTN News: President Barack Obama Refuses To Rush Decision On Troop Levels In Afghanistan
DTN News: President Barack Obama Refuses To Rush Decision On Troop Levels In Afghanistan
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - October 27, 2009: United States President Barack Obama says he will not be hurried into making a decision about troop levels in Afghanistan.
Today Mr Obama held a sixth meeting of his war council at the White House before flying straight from there to a naval air station in Jacksonville, Florida.An Afghan police man stands guard as U.S. armored military vehicle drives by near the site where suicide attackers fired in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. Nangarhar province Gov. Gul Agha Sherzai survived an assassination attempt after a gunman fired automatic weapons at his convoy from a hotel window as his convoy drove down a road in Jalalabad, according to his spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai. Sherzai's bodyguards killed the gunman, as well as another attacker wearing a suicide vest and carrying grenades.
In front of more than 3,000 sailors and marines, the President has mourned the loss of 14 Americans in two separate helicopter accidents in Afghanistan - the deadliest single day for US forces there in more than four years.
"They were willing to risk their lives, in this case to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for Al Qaeda and its extremist allies," Mr Obama said.
"And today they gave their lives - that last, full measure of devotion to protect ours."
But he has also told his military audience that he will not be rushed as he evaluates whether to alter the US strategy in Afghanistan and whether to send more troops.
"I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way - I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary," he said.
"And if it is necessary, we will back you up to the hip, because you deserve the strategy, the clear mission and the defined goals - as well as the equipment and support that you need to get the job done."
It is understood the US commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has asked the President for 40,000 more troops.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says there is no change to the expectation that the eagerly awaited decision will be announced "in the coming weeks".
War plan too ambitious
But as Mr Obama weighs his options, a top Senate Democrat says General McChrystal's war plan is too ambitious.
The chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, John Kerry, has just returned from several days of talks in Afghanistan.
"I believe his current plan reaches too far, too fast - we do not yet have the critical guarantees of governance and of development capacity, the other two legs of counter-insurgency," he said.
"And I have serious concerns about the ability to produce effective Afghan forces to partner with, at the rate that we need to, so that we can ensure that when our troops make heroic sacrifices, the benefits to the Afghans are actually clear and sustainable."
In a speech to the council on foreign relations, Senator Kerry said the US had to ask what was possible in Afghanistan, and not set what he called "some sort of hole-digging strategy".
He says achieving America's goals does not require the US to create a modern economy in Afghanistan, it does not require the US to defeat the Taliban in every corner of the country and it does not require the US to create a flawless democracy in Afghanistan.
And with Afghanistan's presidential run-off election due to be held next week, Senator Kerry has addressed concerns about the leadership of President Hamid Karzai, describing him as a "patriot".
"I am convinced President Karzai understands the need to make some changes - there are some terrific ministers, incidentally, in his government," Senator Kerry said.
"We work with them very closely and we have significant confidence in a number of those ministers.
"There are also some where there are some greater problems in certain ministries in terms of delivery of services, and he is well aware of it.
"As in any election anywhere, no one running for election for president of the country is going to announce who he is moving out until the election is over."
An Afghan police man stands guard as U.S. armored military vehicle drives by near the site where suicide attackers fired in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. Nangarhar province Gov. Gul Agha Sherzai survived an assassination attempt after a gunman fired automatic weapons at his convoy from a hotel window as his convoy drove down a road in Jalalabad, according to his spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai. Sherzai's bodyguards killed the gunman, as well as another attacker wearing a suicide vest and carrying grenades.
In front of more than 3,000 sailors and marines, the President has mourned the loss of 14 Americans in two separate helicopter accidents in Afghanistan - the deadliest single day for US forces there in more than four years.
"They were willing to risk their lives, in this case to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for Al Qaeda and its extremist allies," Mr Obama said.
"And today they gave their lives - that last, full measure of devotion to protect ours."
But he has also told his military audience that he will not be rushed as he evaluates whether to alter the US strategy in Afghanistan and whether to send more troops.
"I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way - I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary," he said.
"And if it is necessary, we will back you up to the hip, because you deserve the strategy, the clear mission and the defined goals - as well as the equipment and support that you need to get the job done."
It is understood the US commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has asked the President for 40,000 more troops.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says there is no change to the expectation that the eagerly awaited decision will be announced "in the coming weeks".
War plan too ambitious
But as Mr Obama weighs his options, a top Senate Democrat says General McChrystal's war plan is too ambitious.
The chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, John Kerry, has just returned from several days of talks in Afghanistan.
"I believe his current plan reaches too far, too fast - we do not yet have the critical guarantees of governance and of development capacity, the other two legs of counter-insurgency," he said.
"And I have serious concerns about the ability to produce effective Afghan forces to partner with, at the rate that we need to, so that we can ensure that when our troops make heroic sacrifices, the benefits to the Afghans are actually clear and sustainable."
In a speech to the council on foreign relations, Senator Kerry said the US had to ask what was possible in Afghanistan, and not set what he called "some sort of hole-digging strategy".
He says achieving America's goals does not require the US to create a modern economy in Afghanistan, it does not require the US to defeat the Taliban in every corner of the country and it does not require the US to create a flawless democracy in Afghanistan.
And with Afghanistan's presidential run-off election due to be held next week, Senator Kerry has addressed concerns about the leadership of President Hamid Karzai, describing him as a "patriot".
"I am convinced President Karzai understands the need to make some changes - there are some terrific ministers, incidentally, in his government," Senator Kerry said.
"We work with them very closely and we have significant confidence in a number of those ministers.
"There are also some where there are some greater problems in certain ministries in terms of delivery of services, and he is well aware of it.
"As in any election anywhere, no one running for election for president of the country is going to announce who he is moving out until the election is over."
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